The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-02-03
WATAUGA TANNERY.

JUG
wATAUGA TANNERY.
Just now the good people of John
son City are given to boasting, and
they are scarcely to be blamed. Ev-
erything is "the biggest" and "the
best" in the speculative holders of
corner lots, and the generality of peo-
pie take up the cry. Concerning
Watauga Tannery, for instance. We
can find scores Of intelligent men here
who will assert it is the biggest con.
Germ Of its kind in the Omitted States"
That is very flattering to Messrs. Hor-
ton, Yocum & Co., but it isn't true
There are few -yery few perhaps
not more than two or three, larger in
dustries Of the kind in the country,
and ii Johnson City is not at the top
in this branch of manufacturing in
dustry it is very close to the top.
Watauga Tannery was the first
manufacturing interest of Importance
to be established here, and the large
outlay of money its preprietors made,
coupled with the prospect OF future
expenditures, has had very much to
do with the establishing of their man
ufacturing interests here.
THE COMET reporter Will doubtless
be erratic in this review OF the interest
named above. There's every reason
why he should be. One of the resi-
dent partners, Col. Yocum, recently
piloted hime through the establish
ment, and tried to teach him all about
the mysterious of tanning in one les
son. The trade is one that requires
several years to learn-hence, if we
fall short in imparting information,
the fault is more that OF our "glad
philosopher and friend" than of our
own.
There are four co-partners in the
firm G. B. Horton, Eugene Horton
S. III. Yocum and H. Gidersleevo
The two first named gentlemen reside
in New York, and at 50 Frankfort St.
the house of G. B. Horton & Co. sell,
the product OF the tannery-they also
buy the raw hides that are shipped
here. Messrs. Yocum & Gildersleevt
are the resident partners-they are
workers, and not only are they thor
oughly identified with the business o
the tannery but they are equally in
terested in the well-being of the town
itself. Mr.. Gildersleeve superintend
the mechanical operations Of the tan
nery,-his co-partner presides over til,
Office and as theatrical people woulC
say, is general utility man.
Watauga Tannery was built in 1885,
The co-partners had secured larg
tracts of timber contiguous to thei
point and here they centralized thei
manufacturing operations. The orig
inal capacity has been materially in
creased since then to-day the tan
merry is producing at the rate Of 80
900 sides per year, All of this vas
quantity of raw material is worked II
| into sole leather; all is chestnut-oa
tanned, and not side leaves the tar
/. merry that will not beare the closest II
: spection so far as. that is concerned
, better or more staple goods are nc
r turned out by any tannery in tn
whole country-at least that is tn
verdict of the trade.
The number OF laborers employe
, in the tannery proper is usually abor
So When the firm peals bark frol
> its own timber the force of workme
directly employed reaches $50. Th
is for a short season, hewever, as ii
peeling is almost wholly done durin
the month of April. This leads us
remark that Horton, Yocum & G
= own not less than 25,00O acres of tin
bered lands in the counties OF Was
ington, Carter, Unicoi and Sullivan
they have enough bark in sight
their own to last them a quarter OF
l. century, and so long as others pc
s and deliver they don't touch the
t, own heritage.